Spring seat construction



May 16, 1939- H.'F, wou-'E SPRING SEAT CONSTRUCTIQN Filed Nov. 26, 1937 INVENTOR HARQLD P WOLFE Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES SPRING SEAT CONSTRUCTION Harold F. Wolfe, Detroit, Mich., assigner to The Murray Corporation of America, Detroit, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Application November 26, 1937, Serial No. 176,446

4 Claims.

This invention relates to spring constructions andparticularly relates to spring seat constructions.

. The primary object of the present invention is to provide a resilient support between a base frame and a cushion which is connected to the cushion in sucha manner as not to aect the springcharacteristics of the cushion.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a resilient support between a base frame and a cushion having a soft spring surface which is so connected to the cushion that the soft spring characteristics-of the spring surface are `not interferred with and are retained.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a spring seat construction having a soft spring surface which is economical to manufacture.

Other objects oi the invention will become apparent from the following specification, the drawing relating thereto 'and from the claims hereinafter set forth.

in the drawing, in which like numerals are used to designate like parts in the several views u, throughout:

Figure l is a perspective view of a seat cushion embodying features of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 2 2 of Fig. l;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. 2 illustrating an arrangement whereby the base frame and' attaching member may be utilized with prior cushion constructions; l,

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view ci a modied manner of attaching a coil spring to a seat cushion according to the present invention; and

Fig. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 5--5 of Fig. fi.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 2 of the drawing, a seat cushion construction is illustrated which comprises a generally rectangular base frame member Iwhich may conveniently be formed of a section of wire or similar material. frame i@ is reinforced at the rear corners by a generally U-shaped member il formed of a section of wire bent outwardly at i2 to form angles at the rear corners of the base. The member li and the bent out portion 'i2 may be secured to the base frame it by being welded thereto. The bese of the U-member ii extends beyond the rear edge of the base frame and serves to connect the seat with the seat baci: of a unit seat such as that disclosed in the co-pending application of Charles H. Widman, Serial No. '162.440, iilecl September 4, i937. A transversely extending rod member I3 is disposed inwardly in substantially parallel relation to the iront edge oi.' the base frame i0 and is welded thereto.

The base A pmrslay or upwardiy extending' helical con l springs I I are disposed at the corners of the base frame. The coil springs are anchored at the rear edge to the rear edge of the base frame I0 and the angle portions I2 of the member II by cli 3s I6; and are anchored at the iront edge to the front edge of the base member I0 and to the rod member I3 by means of clips I8. The upper ends of the coil springs serve to support a cushion generally designated at 20; and are anchored to the cushion 20, according to the present invention, in a manner to be describedin detail hereinafter so as not to interferey with the spring characteristics of the seat cushion. v

The cushion frame construction 2U is of substantially the same construction as that disclosed and claimed in the copendiniir application of Clarence H. Menge, Serial No. 139,765, filed April 29, 1937. The cushion frame 2li has the lateral side edges thereof formed oi sections of wire 2i and the front and rear marginal edges thereof formed of border channel elements 22 and 23, respectively. The border frame elements i2 and 23 each have their ends bent to form the corners 'of the cushion frame 2Q generally; and it will be readily seen that the ends lof the lateral side frame element 2i may Iconveniently be crimped into the ends of the border frame elements 22 and 23 in order to provide a unitary generallyl rectangular cushion A frame construction, which cushion frame construction is of substantially the same size and shape as the base frame it.

The surface of the cushion frame 2@ is composed of a plurality 'oi parallel arcuately disposed contlnuously bent spring elements 2f?- of the general type disclosed in the patent to Kaden. No. 2,0U099. As disclosed in this patent, the spring elements 2d are preferably formed ci wire bent to provide a series of similar adjacent lateral convolutions-all lying in substantially the saine arcuate surface. After the spring wire has been bent to the predetermined desired iorm, the spring elements are normalizedin yorder that they will have an inherent tendency to lie along arcs of substantially smaller radius than the arcs upon which they are Adisposed when utilized in the construction oi a seat cushion.

These spring elements 28 are cut to suitable 'desired lengths and are severed at such a f point that they provide a last lateral convolution extending substantially transversely to the length,

oi the spring element which' last lateral convolution is utiliaed to anchor the'ends of the spring elements in position within the border frame elements 22 and 23.

Since the spring elements making up the sur face structure of the cushion construction are all tensioned to lie along arcs of substantially smaller radius than that on which they' are disposed when mounted in the cushion construction, there is an inherent tendency'to draw the front border frame element 22 towards the rear border frame element 23. Consequently, in order to brace the surface frame Eil against these forces, it has been found necessary and desirable to pro vide suitable transverse brace elements 26 which extend transversely of the frame and have their ends welded to, or otherwise suitably secured, the border frame elements 22 and 234 In the ernbodiment illustrated, these brace elements are shown of substantially' the same configuration the border elements 22 and 23, but this is to merely illustrate that the same stock may be used to provide the brace elements; and it is to be understood that the brace elements may be in other forms such as strips or rods. These frame members 28 are preferably arcuately disposed downwardly in order not to interfere with the function of the arcuately disposed sinuous spring elements 24.

As disclosed in the Menge application above referred to, the border frame elements22 and 23 are preferably formed of sheet metal of rolled sections which may conveniently be formed in continuous lengths. These border frame elements are generally of channel section with the walls of the channel crimped together at spaced points 23 therealong. thus providing channels which are adapted to receive and anchor the last lateral convolutions oi the spring element 24 in position within the channel.

According to the present invention, in order to connect the spiral spring elements ii to the cushion 20 without interfering with the soft spring characteristics of the spring surface formed by the spring elements 24, transversely extending rod members 30 are disposed adjacent the :rear edge member 23 in spaced and parallel relation to each other. The members 30 are preferably disposed under the brace members 23 and are secured thereto preferably by welding sothat they vare spaced from and do not interfere with the spring element 24. The spiral springs I4 adjacent the rear corners of the cushion are connected and secured to the rod members 30 by means of clips 3|. Similar transversely extending rod members 32 are disposed adjacent the front border element 22 in spaced and parallel relationship to each other and are similarly nxed to the undersurfaces of the brace member 28 adjacent the front edge. The spiral spring element I4 adjacent the front corners are secured and nxed to the rod members 32 by means of clips 33.

It is evident from the above description that the spring surface formed by the elements 24 retains its soft character and is not interfered with by the connection el? the spiral springs I4 with the cushion member 20 as there is no direct or interfering connection between the spiral springs I4 and the spring element 24.

Referring to Fig. 3, a structure isillustrated in which the spiral spring id are connected directly to the spring elements 24 by means of clips as in the Menge application above referred to. This iigure illustrates that the cushion construction and connection oi the Menge application may be used with the base frame structure and connecting member H of this application.

Referring to Figs. 4 and 5 a modified manner of attaching the spring elements i4 to the border element 23 adjacent the corner thereof is illusm aisance t1-ated in which the free end oi the spring i@ may be snapped into the channel formed by the crimped-in portion 1^* the member The springs adjacent the it t corners be similarly attached to the bol element 2.2.

Formal changes may be made in the specific embodiment of the invention described without departing from the spirit and substance of the invention, the scope of which is commensurate with the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A spring cushion construction comprising a base frame, a border frame disposed above and in spaced relation to said base frame, spring elements connected to said border frame forming a spring load supporting surface, spiral springs interposed between said base frame and said border frame adjacent the corners thereof, means connecting said spiral springs to said base frame,

and members disposed inwardly of opposite sides of said border frame located below and out of engagement with said spring elements connecting said spiral springs to said border frame.

2. A spring cushion construction comprising a base frame, border frame disposed above and in spaced relation to said base frame, spring elementsconnected to said border frame forming a spring load supporting surface, transversely extending brace members connected to said border frame and disposed below said spring elements, cross members fixed to said brace members, spiral springs interposed between said base frame and said border frame, means connecting said spiral springs to said base frame, and means connecting said spiral springs to said cross members.

3. A spring cushion construction comprising a baseI frame, a border frame disposed above and in spaced relation to said base frame, spring elements connected to said border frame forming a spring load supporting surface, transversely extending downwardly bowed brace members connected to said border frame and disposed below said spring element, cross-members xed to said brace members, spiral springs interposed between said base frame and said border frame, means connecting said spiral springs to said base frame, and means connecting said spiral springs to said cross-members.

4. A spring cushion construction comprising a base frame, a border frame disposed above and in spaced relation to said base frame, spring elements connected to said border frame forming a spring load supporting surface, a pair of substantially parallel cross-members disposed adjacent one side of said border frame, another lpair of substantially parallel cross-members disposed adjacent the opposite side of said border frame, a pair of spiral springs interposed between said base frame and said border frame adjacent said one side of said border frame, another pair of spiral springs disposed adjacent said opposite 

